This is a place for discussing technique, theory, practice repertoire, composition, lessons, performance, equipment, mixing, recording, showing off your sick skills and/or general discussion in the realm of metal. Topics on all instruments welcome from hammond organs to guitar amps and everything in between.

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No matter how good you are at playing, you're not even half way there when it comes to recording in a studio.

Having worked in recording studios for a few years now, I would beg to differ. If you're recording through a console to tape without computer technology, having competent musicians is pretty much 90% of the struggle. Unless you somehow revel in slating "take 70."

Tapes are kvlt, go ahead and use a four track. It's cheap technology, works great, and super easy to use. And it can sound great depending on what you are using (I.E. mic your guitar amps, even if it's a shitty mic, rather than putting them straight in).

Get a Fostex digital 8track. They probably only go for like 100 bucks nowadays. Just put two mics on the drums, record a live track, then go back in and add guitar tracks, bass track, vocal track, whatever all you want on it.

This is pretty fucking lo-fi to start, but judging by your responses thus far, this is the way to go. I started recording this way when I was in high school, and it's also a really fun learning experience. It will also give you experience and you will only get better at recording. Almost ten years later, I have a pretty good ear for recording and mixing, and can even make a quick buck off of recording demos with a 24 track. The music recording industry also doesn't work on an educational business, but rather just through practice and getting to know people, making connections, and eventually ending up with internships, etc. So if this is a field of work you could see yourself getting into, then the earlier you start, the better!

Get something like THIS for guitars and vocals. Then THIS for some drums. Then use REAPER (which has an unlimited trial period so you can pay for the license when you get some more money) as your DAW to record it all, and your sorted. I have a similar set up and can get results like THIS (Ignore my pretty sloppy playing at times haha). There's also countless amounts of free plugins for Amp sims, cabinets, compressors, EQ's etc etc With a bit of know how it really doesn't cost that much these days to get some half decent home recordings.

I did the same thing (actually using a UX1, as linked, but with AddictiveDrums) and I'm the drummer of my band. It helps that I have an electronic kit, so I tracked everything with MIDI. If that's an option, I suggest this route, it's more than good enough for a demo.

Gotta agree with the others about trying to convince your drummer to let you program drums. Realistically its going to be the most cost effective and also get the best results for your needs. I understand completely that the drummer wants to be the guy actually hitting stuff on your music, but for demo purposes that will be used to send to your friends/local promoters etc, using something like EzDrummer will be your best bet. When it comes to recording a proper album/EP when you have money for the studio then yeah use real drums. But using drum machine for demo purposes is going to be much more convenient. Your only other option would be to go in a studio, which is going to cost a lot more money. Or try and record drums yourself.......But unless you know what you're doing, have enough mics and have a decent room, they're probably gonna sound like ass compared to a drum machine. HERE is another example of a song i mixed with using EzDrummer. Not my song so the playing is of a higher quality this time ;) haha maybe showing him some examples may persuade him?

UX1 on Reaper (which is basically free), record the drums live with one mic. That's what I do. If you place it right next to the floor tom on the right, and a bit down towards the bass drum with the mic head up, it works fine.